St. Scho’s Medical Mission
The PTA-Team and core committee heads.Every year, it happens. The PTA of St. Scholastica’s Academy-Bacolod holds a medical mission to help the nearby communities of the school. This year, through the PTA’s Scholastican Involvement Community Outreach Program (SICOP), under the helm of Sheila Gallo, the medical mission was held Last October 4, at the school’s gymnasium. With 600 patients flocking to the gym, volunteer doctors, dentists, nurses, Benedictine sisters, teachers, parents and students gave up their Sunday morning to help out. Medical representatives from various pharmaceutical firms gave additional gifts for the patients.
And the students helped out too.The crowd gathered as early as 6AM, to avail of various medical services such as pediatric check-up, de-worming, circumcision, dental, haircut, and even a free massage courtesy of the military. The gym was packed, the officers were busy, the volunteers were on their toes most of the time, but it was all worth it. The goal was to give help, and so they gave it, plus more, because they went beyond the targeted number of patients.
The involvement of the people who helped out in this mission, including the military that have been helping every year, is an additional accomplishment for this event. PTA officers Atty, Gina Jesena and Louie Martin were busy documenting the event, while Sheila Gallo made sure that everyone was well fed, from the patients to the doctors. Other officers like Glenn Garces and Irene Ledesma were taking blood pressures of patients in preparation for their dental extraction. Donna Geaga’s team was properly dispensing medicines. SSA-B Directress Sr. Rebecca Maglalang, OSB and all the Benedictine sisters looked stunning in their green SICOP shirts. Silently watching from the side was PTA past president Violy Montelibano, while this writer was going around, double-checking on things, and, to once-in-a-while play with a baby waiting in line.
Donna Geaga’s Pharmacy Team.By noon, the event was over. Everyone was treated to a hearty lunch and gifts as tokens of appreciation were handed out. Inside the empty gym, organizers were quiet and tired. But everyone had that “feel good” mood and a sense of fulfillment that will surely last for a long time.
